Spinal injections can be a frightening experience if you have never had spinal injections before. At the Pain Prevention & Rehabilitation (PP&R) Center, located in St. Louis, Missouri and Illinois corridor, we take extra steps to ensure that the experience will be a pleasant one. First, we make certain to follow every precaution possible to ensure the lowest chance of adverse reactions. Second, spinal injections are guided by a special “C-arm” x-ray device which allows Dr. Suthar to visualize exactly where the needle is placed so that there is no guess work. Third, Dr. Suthar makes an extraordinary effort to provide local anesthesia so that most individuals actually feel little to no pain during the procedure.

Injections typically will have a mixture of two medications.  One is lidocaine which is an anesthetic similar to what your dentist may have used for dental work. The primary function of lidocaine is to provide immediate feedback by “deadening” the painful tissue and thereby confirming a presumed diagnosis. The second medication is cortisone. Cortisone, naturally produced by the body, is concentrated in injections which help to reduce swelling and inflammation. The effects of lidocaine are immediate but may last only a few hours; the effects of cortisone may take 2-3 days or longer. The overall benefit of spinal injections may vary greatly from person to person and also with individuals repetitively over time.  Please note that injections do not reverse arthritis, or change anatomy.

If you have additional concerns regarding your situation, you may schedule an appointment prior to the spinal injections in St. Louis, Missouri, or Illinois to discuss your concerns.